Photosensor Light-Modifier Angular Response Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing photosensors often inaccurately determine lighting levels due to geometric effects and filter characteristics, leading to incorrect activation or deactivation of artificial light sources, especially when dark or bright objects are present, causing energy inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A photosensor with customizable angular-response characteristics, utilizing a light-modifier such as a baffle, light filter, diffuser, or refractive layer to adjust the measurement of light levels based on distance, angular sensitivity, and region-specific light-sensitivity, providing a sharp cut-off angle and uniform weighting to accurately assess light levels within a target area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a photosensor directly measures light levels without angular modification, then the device complexity is low, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to geometric effects and dark objects below the sensor
Solution Approach 1:
A light modifier is introduced as an intermediary component between the photosensor and the target area. This modifier includes angular response characteristics that compensate for geometric effects in the light measurement path, enabling accurate light level measurements without requiring complex sensor designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The angular response characteristics of the light modifier are specifically designed to change the weighting of light measurements based on angular sensitivity. This parameter modification allows the system to account for distance variations and eliminate the influence of dark objects below the sensor, thereby improving measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If a photosensor uses uniform angular sensitivity in all directions, then the device complexity is low, but the measurement precision deteriorates when light is unevenly distributed across the target area
Solution Approach 1:
The light modifier is designed with non-uniform angular response characteristics that provide different sensitivity weights for different angular regions. This local quality variation in angular sensitivity allows the photosensor to accurately measure light levels in unevenly illuminated areas by emphasizing regions with higher desired light sensitivity.
3Measurement precision
If the photosensor field-of-view is wide to capture all target area light, then the productivity is high, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to bright objects outside the field of interest
Solution Approach 1:
The light modifier introduces asymmetric angular response characteristics that create a weighted measurement pattern. This asymmetric design allows the photosensor to capture light from the target area while applying different sensitivity weights to different angular regions, effectively excluding bright objects outside the field of interest from the measurement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The customizable angular response of the photosensor reduces measurement errors associated with bright objects outside the field of interest and ensures accurate light level assessment, allowing for efficient adjustment of artificial lighting based on natural light conditions, thereby optimizing energy usage.
Implementation Method 1
a refractive layer which refracts light received by the photosensor
Implementation Method 2
a light filter that filters light received by the photosensor
Implementation Method 3
a light-diffuser which diffuses light received by the photosensor
Data Source
AI summary
A photosensor with customizable angular-response characteristics is presented. This photosensor includes a light-modifier located between the photosensor and a target area to be monitored by the photosensor, wherein the light-modifier provides a customizable angular response for light received at the photosensor from the target area.